Monday, May 14, 2012
Donna Sawyer celebrates teachers on this episode of “Celebrating Life & Food”. Watch the episode of CELEBRATING TEACHERS by clicking here http://vimeo.com/42173554
I remember sitting in my car on a cold wintery morning waiting to sign my 4 year old son up for pre-school. As I waited I wrote him a letter to read to him when he got older.
“Joseph, I am so excited for you. This day marks for me the beginning of your school days. What an incredible adventure. I think you will love school. First and foremost the “people”. You love people and being with people. I pray for you that you have kindred spirits through out your entire life.
You are loving and loyal. You are my tender strong boy. You are a strong willed little boy with a huge heart. I pray that throughout your life, people see your heart.
Joseph, you love to learn. You soak up everything around you. I pray for teachers who will love you and for teachers who will help you thrive as a person and a student. That they channel your energy and your passions and take delight in you.
I pray that God protects you as you enter this world with out me. Enjoy school Joseph. Drink it up. And may your life bring glory to God.
“Hi world! My name is Joseph and I’m here to tell you about Jesus”.
My “little” boy is now 15 and taller than I am. Teacher’s, coaches, mentors, Younglife leaders, continue to make an impact on him and his life. Today I celebrate all of you who have dedicated your lives to teach & impact the lives of children. Thank you!
Strawberry Jam with Lime Zest & Coconut Rum…What a perfect gift to give to your teacher at the end of the year. I love making strawberry jam in the spring. What makes my strawberry jam over-the-top-awesome is the lime zest and coconut rum that I add. It adds a citrusy freshness.
For my TV show; CELEBRATING LIFE & FOOD W/DONNA SAWYER, I had Tonya & Megan, and Cindy and her daughter Megan as guests. Together we made several jars of Strawberry Jam and packaged them up so they could give them to their teachers.
I bought the basket at Hobby Lobby when they were all 50% off. Filling the basket with shredded craft paper gave the basket height. Wrapping the homemade beer bread in parchment paper and fabric gave it a finished look. In the basket we also added the cards that the girl’s made for their teachers. I bought plain craft, card stock and envelopes. The girl’s stamped “thank you” in black ink on the cards. We then wrapped them in parchment paper and tied it with cotton twine. (Teachers receive so many gifts at the end of the year they can always use more thank you cards.) For the top of the jam jar I ripped cotton muslin in small squares, stamped it with a strawberry stamp (since we made strawberry jam), and tied it with cotton twine. Voila! Any teacher would love to receive this gift at the end of they year!!!
SUPPLIES
- Basket, Hobby Lobby
- Shredded Paper, Hobby Lobby
- Cotton Muslin, Hobby Lobby
- Strawberry Stamp, Hobby Lobby
- Cotton Twine, Hobby Lobby
- Card & Envelopes, Hobby Lobby
- Thank you stamp, Hobby Lobby
- Parchment Paper, Meijers
- Mason Jars, Meijers
- Red “beautiful” card, Michaels
Megan & Megan were adorable!! I think they liked eating it even more than making it. Girls, I hope your teachers love them strawberry jam you made for them!!! Thank you for being on my show.
This Strawberry Jam Gift Basket is the perfect gift to give to your children’s teachers at the end of the year. Share the love and celebrate teachers!!!
Strawberry Jam with Coconut Rum & Lemon Zest
Yield: 3 - 8 oz Jars
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Total Time: 45 min
Sweet & Tart Strawberry Jam with Coconut Rum & Lime Zest
Ingredients:
5 cups cut strawberries
1 box of pectin
4 cups sugar
2 T. Coconut Rum
Zest of 2 Limes
Directions:
1. place strawberries and pectin in sauce pan
2. Bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute
3. Add sugar, Lime zest & rum
4. Bring to rolling boil and boil for 1 minute
5. Pour jam into boiled jar
6. Place boiled lid & rim on and twist.
7. Submerge filled jar into boiling water for 5 minutes
8. Let cool on rack
Monday, May 7, 2012
Watch “Celebrating Mothers” Episode of my show “Celebrating Life & Food”. http://vimeo.com/41464357
Celebrating Mother’s day is always something I enjoy. Being a mother, I love to be celebrated. Usually I sleep in, until I hear the kids making noise in the kitchen as they make me breakfast. With a little chuckle, I wonder how they are doing, what they are making and what the kitchen is going to look like when they are done. Ha, it usually is an absolute mess. It has gotten better as they have gotten older.
This year on my show; Celebrating Life & Food, I did an episode “Celebrating Mothers” with a great brunch menu: Scrambled eggs w/wine, nestled in Puff Pastry and Strawberry Smoothies. My daughter Sara and her friends Leah & Kristen joined me as I taught them how to make this delicious breakfast.
Scrambled eggs are amazing if you make them the right way! Here are several tips to ensure a perfect, creamy, flavorful result.
- Add 1/4 cup of white wine to the eggs. Wine adds an amazing flavor to the eggs. I don’t add milk or water or any other liquid; just wine. It can be any white wine that you enjoy.
- Once you have lightly whisked the eggs, wine, S & P, pour them into a med-low heated skilled that has melted butter.
- Now for another tip; gently stir. Keep stirring the eggs, scraping the sides and the center as they have a tendency to cook faster. Stirring the eggs keeps the curds the eggs form smaller and therefore creamier.
- Add your cheese just before the eggs are done. The eggs should be creamy and shiny. If overcooked they will look dry.
- Puff Pastry is a perfect “bowl” for the eggs. It is beautiful and takes scrambled eggs to a higher level. Just bake them according to the package.
Strawberry smoothies with a touch of Orange Juice and Honey make a perfect, refreshing drink for this brunch. So easy!!!
Don’t you love the journals the girls made for their mothers? I bought the journals at Michaels for $2.50. They were in a clearance bin. Michaels also had this brand of scrapbooking supplies that I love; Jolee’s Boutique. The entire brand was 50% off. The style was called; French General; Petite Bijoux. The girls used silk flowers, labels, buttons, ribbons, etc from this collection and we used a glue gun to adhere everything to the journal. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the outcome!
Instead of a “tablescape” we created a “trayscape”. I used a tray that I had around the house, added a linen cloth…any napkin will do. I always save little jars to use as vases and I used 3 small jars and added a single bloom in each jar. The journal, the eggs in puff pastry and the strawberry smoothie, finished off the trayscape perfectly!
Thank you Amanda, Tyler, Mike & Tom for all your hard work behind the scenes as we taped “Celebrating Mothers” for my TV show; Celebrating Life & Food. You guys ROCKED!! It was the first time we filmed in my kitchen instead of the studio kitchen and I loved it! So comfortable and familiar!
To my mother; Mama (said with a french accent because she is french), you have been my foundation. You are a loving, kind, courageous women who has always placed your family first. So many wonderful memories; doing cartwheels together in our backyard, singing “I Have Confidence in Sunshine” as we cleaned the house, making chocolate chip cookies for Christmas and eating them in the middle of the night, looking out in the audience of every production I was in and seeing you there with a smile on your face and kleenex in your hands as tears of joy streamed down your face. And the greatest gift of all; that as an adult, you are a dear friend to me, my husband and now, with my children. Thank you for your continued gift of celebrating life and family. It is from you that I learned how to celebrate!! I love you Mama. Happy Mother’s Day!!
Scrambled Eggs w/Wine, Cheese, Ham in Puff Pastry
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Total Time: 20 min
Prepared Puff Pastry shells filled with creamy scrambled eggs, ham & cheese.
Ingredients:
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 8 eggs
• ¼ cup white wine
• dash of S & P
1 cup of ham
• 3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese (about 3 ounces)
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 pkg. (10 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Shells, prepared according to package directions
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives
Directions:
1. Beat the eggs, wine, s&p in a medium bowl.
2. Heat the butter in a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the ham and sauté.
3. Add the eggs. Cook and stir until the eggs are set but still moist, stirring slowly continuously. Make sure to scrape sides of pan and center.
4. Add cheeses and gently fold in to the eggs.
5. After taking the puff pastry shells out of oven, remove the center circle.
6. Divide the eggs evenly among the pastry shells. Top each with the chives.
STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIES
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh strawberries
- ½ cup orange juice
- 5 ice cubes
- 3 T. honey
Directions
- Place all ingredients in blender and blend until mixed
- For decoration, place strawberry on the side of the glass.
Monday, April 23, 2012
To watch the Celebrating Spring episode of “Celebrating Life & Food with Donna Sawyer”, http://vimeo.com/40834022
When I was a child I remember my mother calling us; “kids, kids, come here”. We all ran to her. Flinging the back door open she said; “smell that fresh air”. And with these deep breaths we celebrated the beginning of spring. Now, when spring arrives, my children, 15 & 12, will say “Mom, smell that fresh air”. I love that I have passed this tradition down to my children, and hopefully they will pass it down to their children and the aroma of spring will be celebrated with deep breaths.
In Enchanted April, four depressed English women rent a villa in Italy. They are all dead in one-way or another; emotionally, spiritually, relationally. As the month progresses, friendships are built and they begin to live and feel. They feel the sun on their faces, the wind in their hair, smell the roses. At first it seems like they fight the change just because it is change. But then they start giving in to it., relaxing, living, thriving, growing, changing. Watching this movie and the characters in this movie is like watching a rose bloom; the process is slow, but in the end, the flower in full bloom is stunningly beautiful.
Enchanted April was my inspiration for my menu. Penne pasta packed with flavors and a beautiful, white cloudy, Pavlova with Fresh Strawberries.
I love the combination of Marsala Cream Sauce with Italian Turkey Sausage, Caramelized Onion, Mushrooms and Fresh Basil.
Pavlova, a perfect spring dessert. It is beautiful; white, fluffy, cloud like baked meringue that is crispy on the outside and marshmallowy on the inside. Topped off with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. After making Pavlova a few times I have learned several things which help make it a success.
- Separate your egg whites from the yolks while the eggs are cold (it is easier to separate cold eggs)
- Make sure no yolk gets into the egg whites
- Cover the whites and let them come to room temperature before you whip them (this helps the meringue reach maximum volume)
- Make sure bowl and beaters are free from grease
- Adding the cornstarch & the vinegar helps the meringue to form a crispy crust during the cooking process while keeping the inside soft & marshmallowy.
- Start the oven temperature at 250 degree. If the meringue starts turning a cream color, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees.
- When the meringue is done, turn off the oven and let it cool in the oven overnight. DO NOT take it out of the oven right away as the meringue might fall.
With these tips in hand you will be successful with your Pavolova!!!
Making a spring table look beautiful is so easy. I just head outside and cut off branches that have beautiful buds on them and place them in a clear vase. Using a white tablecloth keeps the table looking crisp and clean. Isn’t this vase beautiful. It is Juliska. Thank you Interiors on 8th for helping me create this tablescape. I also love the pewter bowl from Juliska and the pop of red with the pieces from Julia Knight. ( you can find these items at Interiors on 8th http://www.facebook.com/Interiorson8th )
The wooden tray is such a great contrast to the Juliska Water Goblets! Rustic Elegance…love this combination!
Penne Pasta in Marsala Cream Sauce
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Total Time: 30 min
Penne Pasta in Marsala Cream Sauce, Italian Turkey Sausage, Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms & Fresh Basil
Ingredients:
• 1 pound rigatoni
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 t chili pepper flakes
• 3 teaspoon olive oil, divided
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 lb Italian chicken sausage, cut into bite size pieces
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup Marsala wine
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Fresh Basil
• salt & pepper, to taste
• Parmesan, grated for serving
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water up to a boil. (Kathy boil water and pasta at her station on portable)
2. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium-low heat in a large pan. Saute garlic and red pepper flakes. Add in onion slices and allow to caramelize for 10 - 15 minutes until golden brown and soft. If the onions start to burn, turn the heat down to low. Remove onions to plate once caramelized and set aside.
3. In the same pan, heat another teaspoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
4. Add rigatoni to the now boiling pot of water. Stir occasionally. Drain when finished and return to large pot.
5. Using the same pan again, add the final teaspoon of olive oil and heat over medium-low heat. Add in mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and dark brown, about 10 minutes. Remove to a plate.
6. Lower the heat and add Marsala wine. Raise heat to medium-high. Use a wire whisk to deglaze the pan. Allow the wine to reduce for a few minutes and then add the heavy cream. Bring to a boil and let boil for 2 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in onions, chicken sausage, mushrooms, and basil. Pour over pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with grated Parmesan.
PAVLOVA WITH WHIPPED CREAM & FRESH STRAWBERRIES
Pavlova is a meringue-based cake with a crispy crust and soft, light, marshmallow inner. The dessert is believed to have been created to honor ballet dancer Ánna Pávlova.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 8 large egg whites , at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- Pinch of salt
- 4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 pounds strawberries , hulled and halved
- ½ cup sugar
- Zest and juice of 2 limes
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ½ cup sugar
- Seeds scraped from 1/4 vanilla bean
Directions
- Preheat oven to 250°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of the granulated sugar with the cornstarch; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, salt until peaks begin to form. Add remaining granulated sugar 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well between additions. Beat in the cornstarch mixture. Add vinegar and vanilla extract; beat 1 minute, or until meringue is glossy and stands in peaks.
- Form 2 meringue shells by spooning 2 – 7inch mounds onto each baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon, make a well in the center of each mound.
- Place in oven and reduce temperature to 250°. Bake until meringues are firm and begin to color, about 1hour and 15 minutes up to 2 hours. (They will be dry on the outside and chewy in the center.) If they are getting yellowish, drop the heat by 25 degrees. Cool on baking sheets set on wire racks.
- Meanwhile, combine strawberries, sugar and lime zest and juice in a bowl. Set aside to macerate 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- In a large bowl, beat heavy cream, 3 tablespoons of the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla seeds until stiff.
- To assemble, spoon whipped cream into meringues. Spoon strawberries over the cream. Dust with remaining confectioners’ sugar and serve
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Celebrating Life & Food Watch the “Celebrating Creativity” episode - www.vimeo.com/40565495
I love creating with other people. The other week I was downtown Holland and walked into Karla’s Place. Karla’s place is a store of all handmade items; Redneck wine glasses, aprons, table runners, banners, jewelry, hats, art, plaques, etc, etc. It sings of “creativity”. In her store I had a brain baby. Approaching Karla I asked her if she was interested in doing an event together; I would bring the food and she would provide the craft. Loving the idea we decided to call the evening; “Celebrating Creativity”. www.facebook.com/pages/Karlas-Place/190913505807 (Sping???? what happened to the “R”? Ooops)
Picking up on the theme of creating, I decided to make a Bruschetta Bar for the menu. Setting out different cheeses, toppings, and fresh herbs allowed people to create their own bruschetta. Gorgonzola cheese with caramelized onion and arugula was Lisa’s bruschetta creation. While Ann made a goat cheese, slice pear and fresh basil bruschetta. Even though I provided all the food, I thought it would be a great idea if you were repeating this menu, you could decide on the ingredients for the bruschetta bar and then ask each of your guests to bring 1 or 2 of the ingredients.
One of my favorites was the goat cheese, proscuito and honey drizzled on top…YUM! I found World Market to have an abundance of ingredients; olives, proscuito, honey, etc.
The redneck wine glasses from Karla’s Place were a festive addition to the evening.
World Market’s wine specialist, helped me pick out a perfect wine to go with this meal; Dona Paula Sauvignon Blanc from Argentina. It is fresh with intense aromas of grapefruit, lime and Passion fruit. On the palate it is a wine of great volume with a very long after taste. Immediately I taste the grapefruit and passion fruit. It was the perfect compliment to the cheeses! http://www.worldmarket.com/home/index.jsp
Zabaglione (pronounced za bah lyo nah) was a PERFECT ending to this meal. Zabaglione is an Italian dessert made with egg yolks, sugar and Marsala, a sweet wine. It is a very light custard, which has been whipped to incorporate a large amount of air. I served it over fresh strawberries and topped it with fresh whipped cream and shaved chocolate…a beautiful, dessert that will please every palate!!!
Karla and I had so much fun creating the tablescape for this celebration. First and foremost I used the bruschetta bar ingredients for the tablescape. Then we accented the rest of the table with items from her store. Ann Harten, Lisa Landry, Sheryl Wright, Karla and I had a wonderful evening creating together. (Ok, just have to say, “what was up with my hair…bad hair day!!!)
I used Karla’s fabric flowers to decorate the napkins. You can find more information about Karla’s Place on Facebook.
Thank you Lisa for traveling from Detroit to be here. It would not have been the same with out you! Sheryl, I am going to take you up on your offer to host the next “Celebrating Creativity”.
Karla created a great craft for us; book birdhouses. Some of us brought books from home and others were inspired by the books she had in her store. I found a book on celebrating…how perfect! Karla provided the bird houses and each of us decoupaged the pages of our books on to the sides and glue gunned the book for the roof…adorable! They all turned out so different.
“Celebrating You” was a beautiful book I used to create my birdhouse. Mom, you will be receiving this for mother’s day. :)
Sheryl, I loved how yours turned out. So colorful! Thank you for sharing the handmade table runner with me.
Lisa, not only do I love your birdhouse, but how you displayed it. You are so talented! You probably made everything in that picture; the pillow, the plate stand and the embroidered fabric. LOVE IT!!
What a great evening! I would love to hear what you love to create and how you celebrate creativity with friends!!!
Zabaglione with Fresh Strawberries, Whipped Cream & Shaved Chocolate
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Total Time: 15 min
an Italian dessert made with egg yolks, sugar and Marsala, a sweet wine.
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
• 12 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of Marsala Wine
• 3 cups of strawberries
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1 cup of cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Bittersweet Chocolate for shaving
• Italian Cookies
Directions:
1. In a metal bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together.
2. Place over a double broiler.
3. Slowly add the wine while whisking. Make sure the eggs do not get too hot while mixing in the wine because they will become scrambled eggs if the bowl becomes too hot.
4. Whisk the eggs until the mixture slightly thickens. It could take up to 10 minutes.
5. Prepare strawberries by slicing them into bite size pieces.
6. Add 1/8-cup sugar. Set aside.
7. Make the whipped cream by placing cold cream in metal bowl.
8. Add 2 T. sugar and 1 t. vanilla
9. Whip until thick and creamy
10. Assemble; Pour a little zabaglione in each glass.
11. Place berries on top.
12. Pour the zabaglione over them until they are covered thoroughly.
13. Top with whipped cream
14. Shave chocolate over the top
15. Place ladyfinger on the side.
16. ENJOY!
BRUSCHETTA BAR
Crusty Bread
- Olives
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Olive Oil
Gorgonzola Cheese
- Caramelized Onion with Marsala
- Arugula
- Prosciutto
- Apricot Jam
Goat Cheese
- Sliced Red Pears
- Fresh Basil
- Toasted Walnuts
- Honey
Arugula Salad
- Arugula
- Lemon
- Dijon Mustard
- S & P
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar
DIRECTIONS
- Cut bread, drizzle olive oil, bake at 450
- Toast Walnuts in 350 degree oven for 5 minutes
- While bread is cooking, cut & caramelized onion with Marsala wine (sweet Italian wine)
- Cut Pears
- Plate cheeses, all toppings
CARAMELIZED ONIONS
- Slice an onion into thin slices
- Heat a saute pan and add olive oil
- Add sliced onions
- Cook slowly until brown, 10 – 15 minutes
- Add Marsala wine and cook until liquid evaporates
- Add S & P
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
White flowers, white plates, glass vases….Ahhh….FRESH!!! What a beautiful table for Easter. I love the all white flowers in the different size glass vases. With Easter being earlier this year I was so in need of a clean, fresh look.
White roses, white hydrangeas, and white baby’s breath…love the different sizes and textures of all the different flowers. Spring Sweet has beautiful flowers all year long. I love to go in her store and see her European Floral Market. For my event planning she is my go-to shop for my centerpieces.
This menu is divine! I love lamb any way…leg of lamb, crown lamb roast, lamb chops. For this menu I chose to make lamb chops because they are so easy to make and quick. Personally, I do not like too many spices on my lamb because I LOVE the flavor of the lamb itself. So just a little salt and pepper and olive oil is all I use for prep and seasoning. Using a hot saute pan I place the lamb in and sear for a couple of minutes on each side. After the meat is brown I transfer it to at 350 degree oven for about 5 – 10 minutes until my instant read thermometer is at 135 degrees, perfectly pink! After removing the lamb and letting it sit, I pour red wine into the pan with the lamb juices and deglaze the pan. Reduce the wine by half, add 1 teaspoon of butter and VOILA! A little sauce to go on top of the lamb.
Spring Risotto is one of my hands down, favorite recipes. My recipe is creamy because of the mascarpone cheese, tart because of the lemon zest, crunchy with the al dente doneness of the rice and has texture because of the fresh, uncooked snap peas. Love this combination with the savory lamb.
Now for one of the most delicious cakes you will ever eat!!! Caramelized Coconut Cake is a cake that I CRAVE. The cake is moist, spongy and has great flavor. However the very best part of this cake is the topping. After the cake is made I put a mixture of coconut, brown sugar and butter on top of the cake and PLACE IT UNDER THE BROILER. That’s right, the broiler. It toasts the coconut and caramelizes the brown sugar and butter. Incroyable! Even if you are not a coconut love,(like my husband), I think you will love this cake.
A perfect ending to a perfect meal!!!
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 8 min
Total Time: 1 hour 8 min
LAMB CHOPS WITH WINE REDUCTION
Ingredients:
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
• Coarse sea salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 lamb chops, about 3/4-inch thick
1 cup of red wine
1 T butter
Directions:
Directions
1. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, cayenne, and salt.
2. Pulse until combined. Pour in olive oil and pulse into a paste.
3. Rub the paste on both sides of the lamb chops and let them marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
4. Remove from refrigerator and allow the chops to come to room temperature; it will take about 20 minutes.
5. Heat a sauté pan over high heat until almost smoking, add the chops and sear for about 2 minutes.
6. Flip the chops over and cook for another 3 minutes for medium-rare and 3 1/2 minutes for medium until internal temperature is 135 degrees
7. Remove the lamb to a platter and let it rest.
8. While lamb is resting, pour wine in to the same saute pan and deglaze the pan. On medium high, let the wine reduce by half. Add 1 T butter, salt and pepper to taste.
9. Plate the risotto and lamb and drizzle a little of the wine reduction onto the lamb. ENJOY!
SPRING RISOTTO WITH LEMON ZEST AND SNAP PEAS
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 2/3 cup dry white wine
- 4 to 5 cups simmering chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, preferably Italian
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving
Directions
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter.
- Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed.
- Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes. (Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.) It should be moist and creamy but not runny.
- Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives. Right before serving the risotto add the peas, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.
CARAMELIZED COCONUT CAKE
INGREDIENTS
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
TOPPING
1 stick unsalted butter
¾ cup packed brown sugar
2 can (8 ounces) flaked coconut
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Dash of salt
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven too 350degree. Butter and flour a 13x 9-inchhh baking pan.
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter until scalding
- In the meantime, start beating the eggs with an electric mixer. Add the sugar, and beat well until thick and foamy. With the beater on low speed, gradually add the hot milk mixture and the vanilla.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Beat this into the egg mixture with mixer on low speed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, testing with a toothpick after 25 minutes to see if the cake is done. Cool the cake slightly in the pan.
- Prepare the topping: Melt the butter in a saucepan, and add the brown sugar. Stir in the coconut and vanilla and dash of salt.
- Spread the coconut topping over the cake. Place it under the broiler, 4 to 6 inches from the heat, and broil until the topping is bubbling and brown. Turn the cake if necessary to brown it evenly. Watch very carefully, as it turns from done to burnt in an instant.
- Let the cake cool to room temperature. Cut it into squares to serve
12 portions
Friday, March 23, 2012
Can you even believe how beautiful this Lemon Sorbetto is displayed. It makes me want to dive right in. I came across this amazing shop in Vail and just the word gelato drew me in. And then I saw how artistically each flavor was show cased and I was a goner. I was in this shop for over an hour, tasting, taking pictures. The owner and I struck up an instant friendship.
Ok, guess what flavor this is??? Cherry coke…how adorable.
And my favorite, Espresso Gelato. Love, love, love the coffee beans in the espresso cup.
Thank you Rimini for your creatively displayed Gelato…and most importantly, thank you that it tastes even better than it looks. If you are going to Vail, Rimini is a MUST-GO-TO!!!
check out http://riminigelato.com/
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Salmon is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. It is packed with nutrition and has mega health benefits; it strengthens your muscles, helps lower your cholesterol, strengthens your heart, and helps your memory. Besides all that, it is delicious!
Usually I buy a large fillet and cut it into smaller fillets. Pan frying the salmon in olive oil with S & P is a perfect way to sear the fish. Then I finish it off in the oven til it is still pink inside. My Wine, Basil, Cream sauce is to die for. And since we are celebrating health, I only pour a little bit on the salmon to give it that “WOW” component.
Served with crunchy wild rice is a perfect complement to the soft texture of the salmon. I love, love, love adding toasted pecans, currants, and fresh basil right before I serve this dish. You get the chewy texture of the currants, the crunch of the nut and the smoothness of the rice…a great combination for sure.
Finishing this meal off with Meyer Lemon Pots is a perfect ending to a delightful dinner.
The lemons in a glass pedestal bowl make a perfect centerpiece.
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Wednesday, February 29, 2012
The PERFECT meal; Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Gruyere Cheese, and, Sweetened Fig Salad with Bacon and toasted Walnuts, exquisitely satisfying and utterly delicious. I love the creaminess of the soup, the peppery taste of the arugula, the sweetness of the figs, the saltiness of the bacon and the crunch of the walnut. My mouth gets so happy when I eat this meal!
Roasting cauliflower transforms this vegetable into something everyone loves. You need a very hot oven, around 450-500 degrees. Covering the cauliflower for the first 15 minutes steam cooks it. Then when you remove the foil the high heat browns and caramelizes it, giving the cauliflower a slightly crisp texture and complex flavor that is irresistible. You can serve it just out of the oven or you can make it into my roasted cauliflower soup.
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Monday, February 27, 2012
Hot Chocolate vs Hot Cocoa…there is a huge difference! Hot cocoa is made from cocoa powder, which is chocolate pressed free of all its richness, the fat of cocoa butter. Hot chocolate is made from chocolate bars melted into cream. It is a rich decadent drink. I made 2 different kinds; Mocha Hot Chocolate topped with a Toasted Marshmallow and White Hot Chocolate with Coconut Milk and Coconut Rum topped with Toasted Coconut…YUM! The toasted marshmallow centerpiece was so fun to make and created quite a conversation piece. The scalloped frame chalkboard and the burlap tablecloth gave the tablescape a whimsical, textured look. (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Spring-Sweet/159475530783127)
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Friday, February 17, 2012
What a perfect dinner to celebrate the warmth of the indoors on a chilly, winter night! Cassoulet not only warms the body but it warms the soul as well. I love putting the fireplace on, lighting a bunch of candles, turning down the lights creating a warming ambiance for family & friends.
For the centerpiece I used bottles of all sorts that I had collected during the year. I love the varying heights. Placing them on a worn cutting board separated the grouping and made them stand out.
I love my version of cassoulet using chicken, bacon, turkey sausage, tomatoes, cannellinni beans, wine, garlic, onions, kale, and fresh oregano.
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